"I Get To" Tuesdays

The thought behind this is to list a few things that could come under the category of "Ugh...I have to (you fill in the blank)". However, I want you to look at these "have to's" as blessings of "I get to". We all take for granted such things as our health, jobs, family, friends, etc. and sometimes don't appreciate them or see them as blessings as we should. So here are a few things for me this week.

It's that day of the week again where I reflect on my "I have to's" and find the blessings in them.

1. When I got home from the writer's conference on Saturday night, my oldest son showed me the holes in the bottom of his sneakers. Big holes made all in the name of skateboarding! So I had the pleasure of taking him sneaker shopping on Sunday afternoon. The one store he really likes is 30 minutes away at the mall. I NEVER go to the mall. Seriously. Especially on a weekend! The only way he found out about this store was by going to the mall with his friends and their moms. Sam and I drove down there in the pouring rain. The mall was crowded, which made me tense. We visited his favorite store and bought him some sneakers. We even found a pair of jeans for him at Penney's and then high tailed it out of there. (Yes, I drove 30 minutes to the mall and only went to 2 stores.) Even though this isn't my favorite way to spend my time, it gave me some one-on-one time with Sam.
2. While I was away, our garden had another growth spurt. Yesterday, I got to go outside on the hottest day of the year and pick beans, squash and cherry tomatoes. The bugs were out, so in addition to being hot, I got to be itchy, too! However, our fresh veggies are delicious, and we've been able to bless some of our neighbors with our harvest. Oh, we're trying to grow watermelon for the first time, and there are 2 little ones out there on the vine! Very cool!
3. Today I get to go to the doctor for my thyroid check-up. I had forgotten about the appointment until I received the reminder phone call yesterday, so it wasn't exactly in my plans for this week. I don't like going to our doctor because you can be in there FOREVER! I always take things to do because I know I'll be there for at least 2 hours. At least I have a doctor and health insurance, right?!
4. This week I get to figure out if my boys have any dress clothes nice enough to wear to a wedding. We typically don't make them dress up for church. Our rule is just no holes and a decent shirt for Easter and Christmas. (Our church is pretty casual.) I'm more worried about finding something for Sam. I'm sure there is something in their closet that he has grown out of and that Cooper can wear. If I don't have anything for Sam, I'll need to check out Wal-Mart, Sal-Val or Goodwill. (Yes, Sonya, I'm another Vonda Skelton!) I'll probably also send a shout out to the moms of his friends to see if anyone has dress shoes that he can borrow. The blessing in this is that our neighbor's son is getting married. He is 20 years old and his fiance is 21. She was diagnosed with brain cancer back in December. In March, her prognosis didn't sound good from what we heard. We're not sure how she is now. We don't know if they're getting married because she is in remission and they figure why wait, or if she doesn't have much time left and they figure they shouldn't wait. Whatever the situation may be, I see it as a blessing for this young Christian couple to be getting married. Please say a prayer for them.
5. I get to drive my beloved jeep with the broken air conditioning. Thankfully, the first half of the summer was actually cool, and it wasn't an issue. Now that it has finally gotten hot, it isn't very much fun to travel in my vehicle. (Sorry Susan!) However, I love my jeep AND it's paid for! I plan to drive it until it's dead!

That's my "I Get To" list for this week. If you decide to post your own "I Get To" list on your blog, please let me know, and I will post a link to your blog here.

Remember, try to find the blessings in your "I Have To's" and turn them into "I Get To's"!

(By the way, I know I haven't posted anything about the writer's conference yet. I just haven't had the time or the energy in the last 2 days! I'll do it soon!)